Golf-practising device.



1.1. PORTE. GOLF PRACTlSlNG DEVICE. APRLlCATlO-N FILED NOV- 2|. 1917-.

Patented Mar. 5, 1918.

THOMAS JEFFABES POB'I'E, OF WINNIPEG, MANITOBA, CANADA.

eoLr-rmorrsme DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 5, 19 18.

Application filedNovember 21,1917. Serial No. 203,157.

d To all whom it may 00mm.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS JEFFARES PORTE, of the city of lVinnipeg, inthe Province of Manitoba, Canada, have in-- vented certain new anduseful Improvements in Golf-Practising Devices, of which the followingis the specification.

The invention relates to improvements in golf practising devices and theprincipal object of the invention is .to improve the construction of themachine as disclosed in my United States Patent No. 1,224,846 issued the1st of May, 917, so that the device can be manufactured at a less costand in a more durable manner whereby it will better withstand the hardusage to which it is subjected when practising.

A further object of the invention is to improve the construction of therunway so that it can be readily collapsed and also so that it can beadjusted in all directions.

With the above principal and other minor objects in view as will appearas the description proceeds the invention consists essentially in thearrangement and construe,- tion of parts. hereinafter more particularlydescribed and later pointed out in the appended claims, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 represents aperspective view of the complete machine as it appears set up {for use.

Fig. 2 represents a side view of the top part of the machine.

Fig. 3 represents a plan view of the machine.

Fig. 4 represents a back view of the top part of the machine.

Fig. 5 represents an enlarged detailed" sectional view through therearmost end of the runway showing the manner in which it is mounted.

Fig. 6 represents a vertical cross sectional view through the runway andthrough the clip connecting the runway sections.

Fig. '7 represents an enlarged detailed perspective view of the captivepro ectile.

Fig. 8 represents an enlarged detailed perspective view of the upper endof the anchor rod.

In the drawing like characters of reference indicate corresponding partsin the several figures.

1 represents a pedestal preferably formed from metal and cast to providea substantially rectangular base 2 and a pair of opposing front and rearstandards 3 and 4 whichare connected by suitably disposed cross braces'5and 6. The upper ends of the standards are formed each with inturnedpairs of side flanges 7, 8, 9 and 10 so that they present a channel ironcross section.

The pairs of flanges support upper and lower sets of cross rods 11 and12 which project through the flanges and are fitted at both endswithrollers 13, 14,15 and 16 held in position on the rods by cotter pins 17.The rods are positioned so that the rollers 13 and 15 are horizontallyopposed and the rollers 14 and 16 are horizontally opposed andvertically beneath the former rollers.

The rollers form a support for a carriage which embodies four parallelguide shafts 18, an arresting element 19 and a back plate 20, the shaftsactually forming a rigid connection between the arresting element andthe back plate and being positioned between the rollers so that thecarriage can be moved fofwardly and backwardly riding on the ro lers.

In order to prevent any tendency for the carriage to shift laterally Ihave provided sets of vertically disposed rollers 21 and 22 located'atopposite sides of the pedestal and engaging with the outer sides of thelower' shafts, the rollers being carried by small brackets 23 and 24cast as part of the pedestal.

The arresting member is in the nature of a. pad, as in my former patent,and is formed, from a number of thicknesses of materials and is providedmore or less cent rally with an opening 26.

27 represents an open ended substantially rectangular striking frame.comprising a top piece 28 and side extensions or legs 29 and '30, thelegs appearin more or less centrally on opposite sides 0 the pedestaland ternpinating adjoining the base of the pedesta j The striking frameis pivotally mounted on the ends of a cross rod 31- carried by a pair ofopposing upstanding arms 32 and 33 cast as part of the pedestal.

The lower ends of the legs are provided considerably above the cross rod31. On

this cross rod 36 I mount pivotally a pair of rearwardly extending anddownwardly directed links 37 and 38 which have their rear ends carriedby a further cross rod 39 mounted on the rear face of the back plate20., The latter cross rod is actually carried in the back turned ends ofa cross bar 40 permanently riveted to the back plate.-

The .back plate and front standard are supplied with a pair of opposinghooks 41 and 42 which are utilized to receive the ends of a coiledspring 43 passed through a suit-. able opening reserved in the rearstandard and indicated at 44. i

From this arrangement it Will be apparent that under normal conditionsthe spring Will holdthe carriage ahead with the arresting elementadvanced and that the carriage can only go back against the action ofthe spring. Further it will be seen that as the carriage goes back thestrikers 34 and 35 will. swing forwardly, this being-due to the linkconnection between the back plate and the striking frame.

At some distance in advance of the pedestaland directly alined with thelongitudinal axis thereof I locate a pad 45 which is anchored totheground in any suitable manner as by a spike 46. Between the spikeand theforward side of the front standard I stretch a wire, cable or guide 47which extends through the opening 26 in the arresting element and isfastened to the standard by means of an eye 48 provided-thereon.

49 represents a projectile captive to the wire and in the nature of agolf ball fastened to the wire by means of a link and staple as in myformer patent.

At the rear of the pedestal I locate an anchor rod 50 supplied with aturn buckle 51 and having the lowermost end secured in any suitablemanner to the ground as indicated at 52 and the upper end fitted with anenlarged head or knob 53 which is adapted to be caught in a key holeslot 54 provided in the rear standard.

Obviously the cable 47 can be tightened up till it istaut if oneproperly places the appliance and tightens up the turn buckle.

55 re resents a ball runway formed from a num er of similar sectionsdetachably joined together by clips 56 constructed to receive the buttedends of the sections. The runway is graduated in any suitable mannerfrom one end to the other and the rearmost end is pivotally mounted on across pin 57 carried by the upstanding ends ofa yoke bar 58 which spansthe runway and is in turn pivotally secured by a bolt 59 to a supportingbar 60 secured by means of a jam screw 61 to the base of the pedestal.

The forward end of the runway is supported by a pair of legs 62 and 63pivotally attached by a pin 64 to the underside of one of the runwaysections.

From the above construction it will be seen that by varying theinclination of the legs one can raise or lower the front end of therunway and-that the front end of the runway can be swung laterally, thisbeing provided for in the swivel connection at the bolt 59.

65 represents an indicating balk mounted on the runway and normallyengaging one of the strikers, it bein here understood that the runwaycan be pfiiced at either side of the pedestal'to accommodate either aright or left hand player.

The manner in which the device is used for practising purposes is thesame as that already disclosed in my prior patent, the captive ballbeing struck by the golf club to hit the arresting element and e'fi'ectthe back traveling of the carriage and the consequent kicking ahead ofthe strikers and movement of the registering ball on the runway.

The improvements in the present case are purely constructional ones toallow of the device being manufactured in a more durable, marketable andcheaper manner. What I claim as my invention is 1. In'combination, ataut guide wire, a

ball captive to the wire, a horizontally movable arresting memberadapted to'be struck by the ball in flight on the wire and means,actuated by the movement of the arresting member, to indicate the degreeof impact of the ball with the member.

2. In combination, a taut guide wire, a ball captive to the wire, ahorizontally movable spring restrained arresting member adapted to bestruck by the ball in flight on the wire and means, actuated by themovement of the arresting member, to indicate the degree of impact ofthe ball with the member.

3. In combination, a taut guide wire, a

ball captive to the wire, a movable carriage presenting an arrestingelement adapted to be struck by the ball in flight on the wire and meansassociated with the carriage to indicate the degree of impact of theball with the arresting element.

i 4. In combination, a taut guide wire, a ball captive to the wire, ahorizontally movable carriage presenting an arresting element adapted tobe struck by the ball in flight on the wire, resilient means normallyholding the carriage in the forward position and means associated withthe carriage and actuated by the movement thereof to indicate the degreeof impact of the ball with the arresting element. 4

5. In combination in a golf practising device, a pedestal, a carriagecarried by the pedestal and movable in a fixed direction and embodyingan arrestingelement and resilient means normally holding the carriage ina set position.

6. In combination in a golf practising device, a pedestal, a carriagecarried by the pedestal and movable forwardly and backwardly in a fixedpath and presenting forwardly an arresting element and resilient meansnormally holding the carriage in its forward position.

7. In combination in a golf practising device, a pedestal, a carriagecarried by-the pedestal and movable forwardly and backwardly'in a fixedpath and presenting forwardly an arresting element and a sprin connectedto the carriage and'to the pedesta and normally holding the carriage inits forward position. v

8. In combination in'a golf practising device, a pedestal, a carriagecarried by the pedestal and movable forwardly and backwardly in a fixedpath and presenting forwardly an arresting element, a spring connectedto the carriage and to the pedestal and normally holding the carriage inits forward position and mdicating. means associated with the carriageand adapted to be actuatedby the movement of the carriage.

9. In combination in a golf practising device, apedestal, a carriagecarried by the pedestal and mountedto moveforwardly and backwardly inrespect to the pedestal and presenting forwardly an arresting element'and rearwardly 'a backing plate, a spring connecting the backing plateto the pedestal and holding the carriage normally in the forwardposition, strikers mounted on the pedestal and a connection between thestrikers and the carriage whereby the strikers are actuated by themovement of the arriage. v

10. The combination in a golf practising device, a pedestal, a carriagecomprising a forward arresting element, a rear backing plate andvguideshafts connecting the arresting element with the backing plate, rollerscarried by the pedestal and adapted to support the shafts for forwardand back ward movement in respect to the pedestal, a spring connectingthe carriage with the pedestal and normally holding the carriage in theforward position, strikers pivotally secured to the pedestal and aswinging link connection between the strikers and the carriage.

11. In combination in a golf practising" device, a pedestal, a carriagecomprising a forward arresting element, a rear backing late and guideshafts connecting the arresting element with the backing plate, rollerscarried by the pedestal and adapted to support the shafts for forwardand backward movement in respect to the pedestal, a spring standingopposing front and rear standards,

upper and lower sets of rollers carried by the standards, a carriagecarried by the rollers and comprising horizontally disposed guide shaftsmounted on the rollers, a forward open centered arresting element and arear backing plate, a spring connecting the carriage to one of thestandards and normally holding the carriage in a set forward positionwith the arresting element advanced, pivotally mounted side legspivotally secured to the pedestal and provided with strikers andswinging links pivotally connecting the legs to the backing plate.

13. In combination'in a golf practising device, a striker and a ballrunway having one end passing beneath the striker and with the said endfitted for adjustment in a lat eral or vertical direction.

14. In a golf practising device in combination with a pedestal and astriker, ofa supporting bar extending outwardly from the pedestal in alocation adjacent the striker, a horizontally disposed bar pivotallysesured to the supporting bar, a ball runway having one end pivotallysecured to the pivoted bar and a support for the other end of therunway.

15. In a golf practising device in combination with a pedestal and astriker, of a horizontally disposed supporting bar extending outwardlyfrom the pedestal in a location beneath the striker a horizontallydisposed yoke shaped bar pivotally secured to the supporting bar, a ballrunway having one end pivotally secured to the yoke bar and a supportfor the other end of the runway. Signed at Winnipeg, this 26 day ofOctober 1917.

THOMAS JEFFARES FORTE.

- In the presence of- G. S. Roxnnncn, K. B. WAKEFIELD.

